The present invention relates generally to apparatus for securing flexible webbing and more particularly to a new and improved edge securing device for flexible webbing, such as, for example, pull-down window shades, maps, or the like.
In the past, window shades, maps, charts, etc., and other forms of flexible webbing, have included, along the free edge thereof, a section of the webbing which has been folded back upon itself and secured thereat either by sewing or other suitable means to form a looped "pocket" or the like. An elongated strip of wood was usually inserted into and held in the "pocket" and served as a "pull" for the window shade or map.
While the foregoing was generally satisfactory, an added cost was required to form this looped section or pocket at the free edge of the shade or map and a significant additional quantity of material was also required to make such a pocket. Moreover, if the pocket became ripped or torn, the shade or map had to, in most cases, be taken to a professional for repairs. This, too, required added expense.
As an improvement to such structures, a device was devised for attachment to a free margin of a piece of flexible webbing material which included an elongated mounting strip to which an end of the webbing material was attached, and an elongated open-ended holder element. The holder element had a longitudinally extending aperture therethrough having a shape of an hourglass in cross-section and a longitudinally extending slot opening laterally of the holder element and communicating with the aperture.
The mounting strip was insertable into one end of the aperture in the holder element with the webbing material extending outwardly therefrom through the slot to thereby secure the end of the material in the holder element. Tension applied to the material away from the holder element caused the mounting strip to be rotated within the aperture about the constricted section thereof and to be interlocked against opposite walls and in a corner thereof. Such a device is shown and described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,491 which issued on Aug. 18, 1970, in the name of the inventor of the present invention.
While this later device did exhibit a distinct improvement over the web securing devices which came before, there remained room for improvement. For example, the holder element of the last mentioned device was found not to be rigid enough to accommodate window shades, maps, or charts of broad width. In such applications, it was found that the holder element would bow downwardly at its center. Such bowing was also pronounced when the holder element was pulled downwardly.
There are also many applications when maps, charts, or the like are grouped together when hung horizontally so as to conserve wall space. Prior art devices have failed to provide a convenient handle means whereby a selected one of the charts or maps may be pulled down into view by the use of a hook rod or the like.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved web securing device for flexible webbing such as, for example, pull-down window shades, maps, or the like.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a web securing device which includes a rigid holder element to preclude bowing of the device when used in conjunction with window shades, maps, or charts of considerable width.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide such a web securing device wherein the rigid holder element is also light in weight.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved web securing device which includes a novel handle means having a looped pendant member to facilitate the grasping of the holder element with a hook rod or the like and wherein the handle means includes a fastener portion adapted to lockingly engage the holder element and positionable thereon to allow the looped member to extend downwardly from behind or in front of the holder element or any point therebetween so as to enable ready selection of a given map or chart which is mounted in clustered relation with other such maps or charts.